The Office. TV Classic or over-rated?

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Classic in my eyes going from strength to strength. But my eyes are not your eyes, so what do you lot think?

― Mckenzie, Monday, 7 October 2002 07:19 (twenty-three years ago)

Classic, without a doubt. Gareth is just totally the office gimp.

― Fuzzy (Fuzzy), Monday, 7 October 2002 07:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Brilliant. Toe-curling, wince-inducing and very funny. Loved the first series, enjoyed what I've seen of the second. But this thread is rather quiet so are others not as impressed?

― stevo (stevo), Monday, 7 October 2002 09:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, i thought it would be a more popular thread as well. Perhaps everyone just knows its a classic and sees no reason to state the obvious.

― Mckenzie (Mckenzie), Monday, 7 October 2002 09:43 (twenty-three years ago)

We talked about it recently on a thread called "Fat Handed Slags"

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 7 October 2002 09:48 (twenty-three years ago)

― Mckenzie (Mckenzie), Monday, 7 October 2002 09:50 (twenty-three years ago)

Fat Handed Twats

― stevo (stevo), Monday, 7 October 2002 10:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Its on soon!!!!!!!

― Mckenzie (Mckenzie), Monday, 7 October 2002 19:35 (twenty-three years ago)

i'm taping it. something to watch while rubbish like breakfast news is on.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 7 October 2002 19:58 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't like it! (am I really the anti-canon?)

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 7 October 2002 20:18 (twenty-three years ago)

surely not in the comedy cannon yet?!

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 7 October 2002 20:24 (twenty-three years ago)

when I say I don't like it, I mean it can be funny but it just gets too much and is a bit samey.

comedy cannon...3,2,1 *bang*

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 7 October 2002 20:26 (twenty-three years ago)

This episode stayed just on the right side of unbelievability to be an OK comedy rather than oh-christ-make-it-stop amazing. But I still got the 'stomach thing' once or twice.

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 7 October 2002 21:05 (twenty-three years ago)

i'm afraid i have industrial strength ricky gervaise aversion

― mark s (mark s), Monday, 7 October 2002 21:38 (twenty-three years ago)

Paxo on Newsnight tonight was way funnier.

― Graham (graham), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 02:03 (twenty-three years ago)

it's definetely OK.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 09:24 (twenty-three years ago)

Second series = much darker

― Mckenzie (Mckenzie), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 09:28 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm normally a fan but I didn't enjoy last night's episode. A bit seedy. Victor Lewis Smith doesn't like 'The Office' at all:

Evening Standard Review

― stevo (stevo), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Last night's was the first I've seen of this series. Wasn't that great, except for a few Gareth moments.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:02 (twenty-three years ago)

victor lewis smith = colossal wanker. just the worst reviews i've ever seen

― bob zemko (bob), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:10 (twenty-three years ago)

i like victor lewis smith. in his reviews the first two paragraphs are not really irrlevant (as the link tries to tell us) and its a fair enough point of view since he does know his stuff. I enjoyed ppl like us as well. whether its rehashed mike leigh or not it doesn't matter becuz i still found it funny. i think this series is not as good as the first tho'.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:11 (twenty-three years ago)

bob-what's so bad abt his reviews?

it's just abt the only thing I'd read if i ever pick up the evening standard (which i ussually don't nowdays).

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:13 (twenty-three years ago)

I like Victor Lewis-Smith a lot and this is a not unsurprising review from him (after all his TV reviews are pretty much 80% negative). I also take onboard all his points about the programmes antecedants, I just disagree. People Like Us spoofed the docusoap form more than its content - the main joke not being the banality of the people interviewed but the idiocy of Chris Langham's character. Larry Sanders is a better touchstone for candid fly-on-the-wall type stuff, but it exists in a glamourised world of larger than life charcters that is showbiz - The Office is just that.

The thing that surprised me the most about the review for VLS were the number of factual errors in it (its not the Stereophonics version of handbags & gladrags, Ricky Gervaise is barely a stand-up at all). That and the lack of decent gags, which are usually the reason to read a VLS review.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:44 (twenty-three years ago)

VLS makes some valid points, but this doesnt detract from the fact that The Office IS sharp and laugh-out-loud funny....and there arent many (if any) other British shows on TV at the moment that have that same effect (repeats of I'm Alan Partridge dont count).

― blueski, Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:48 (twenty-three years ago)

Beyond argument really. He finds it hard to believe that someone who haas seen Mike Leigh films and People Like Us would rate the Office. I have done, and do. No real story. What was his concrete criticism? That the characters are 'glumly
two-dimensional, and the naturalism is so studied and stylised that it's unnatural.'. Well I don't see either of these things. I think Mike Leigh's characters have often been far more caricatured. And I don't think I know how to recognise studied naturalism. Hey ho. People Like Us got very boring to watch after a while. Of course, it was better on radio la la.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:03 (twenty-three years ago)

Mike Leigh is frighteningly patronising, and one must question the auithorship of his films/plays as well up to a point - with so much improvisational workshopping of his charcters it would be much fairer to say that Leigh invents broadly the characters andd scenario and then works in collaboration on the script with the cast. Which is often why the caricatures in his work are so broad and one dimensional. (Jonathon Ross's demolition of All Or Nothing last night was particularly apposite).

Can a TV character ever be anything more than two dimensional?

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:16 (twenty-three years ago)

VLS reviews are generally tendentious slops of selflove, lame - and what's worse - incredibly cheap jokes and a general lack of care. he occasionally hits the (well, a) mark, but nowhere near enough to justify his free hand that the standard thinks his celebrity allows him. i don't really mind if i disagree with him (i've given up convincing ppl on the office anyway) but he never really makes a cogent argument anyway. it's just the general old-man-saying-"bum" CRAPNESS of it that gets me.

i didn't mind his tv show actually but then i was about 15 or 16. but it wasn't as bad as his articles.

― bob zemko (bob), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:16 (twenty-three years ago)

ha in the south bank show on sunday leigh denied all accusations or caricature and improvisation

― bob zemko (bob), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:19 (twenty-three years ago)

If they deny it = it is true. (hence need for a right to silence in a court of law).

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:56 (twenty-three years ago)

N is correct.

One or two of VLS's points were OK (esp. re. 'black man's cock' - there was sth odd about the repetition of that), but the Ape is right too - how odd to blame that track on the Stereophonics. Such public attacks should be better aimed.

Much as I like The Office, I'm not sure it can go beyond this series.

― the pinefox, Tuesday, 15 October 2002 18:49 (twenty-three years ago)

yeah but surely the whole FUCKING point of the joke being used was its lameness and then its repetition!!!

and anyway VLS is a fine one to talk about inveigling puerile jokes into public media. the mind boggles

― bob zemko (bob), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 19:13 (twenty-three years ago)

I managed to miss the whole of the first series of The Office - I don't watch much telly - though I have just bought the DVD of it and must make time to sit down and watch it.

I saw last week's The Office and though it brilliant. Very keen observation of the personalities, and it really does make you cringe as much as laugh. The bit with the girl in the wheelchair on the stairs during Fire Drill was classic - and the way he absent-mindedly pushed her out the of way when the were in the pub. I've seen people behaving like that in real life (unfortunately).

Watched last night's episode and dozed off (but it had been a long and stressful day, so I shall blame that). The bit where he walked out of the office with the dildo was funny though.

I was a great fan of People Like Us, but this was mainly because one of my close friends was Director of Photography on the series, so I am somewhat biased.

― C J (C J), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 19:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Jonathan Freedland detects deep sociological insecurities and anxieties in 'The Office':

Future historians will look back at this show for one more insight into our times.

My 'bullshit' detector isn't working this morning. Is he on to something?

― stevo (stevo), Thursday, 17 October 2002 08:19 (twenty-three years ago)

I should also point out that in fact VLS slagged off The Fast Show when it first appeared on BBC2. Subsequently apologising for doing so (as he has done in his column on several occasions) is not the same thing as praising it from the word go.

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 17 October 2002 08:53 (twenty-three years ago)

Goodpoint Marcello - I had forgotten that. And yes - frankly as much as I like VLS writing in general the man who created The Gay Daleks and their - ahem - white wee-wee has no place to talk about purile gags.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 17 October 2002 09:18 (twenty-three years ago)

two weeks pass...

I thought 'The Office' lost its edge towards the end, it ran out of ideas and fell back on Brent making an idiot of himself. Last night's bleak closing episode was good though. Very Dark, Brent almost in tears, Tim/Dawn not happening. A third series would be a mistake though IMHO.

― stevo (stevo), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 07:49 (twenty-three years ago)

I only saw last week's and the one before that I think. I agree with stevo. David Brent did nothing new or interesting. The only good bits were with the other characters.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 09:14 (twenty-three years ago)

i actually felt sorry for DB during this ep: but it is the only one i ever saw from beginning-to-end

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 09:25 (twenty-three years ago)

oh and newsnight were using clips of "the office" to illustrate a rather odd story they had on changing fashions in management gobbledygook

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 09:27 (twenty-three years ago)

Looks like it will be back. Gareth said MENTALISTS last night!

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 09:33 (twenty-three years ago)

the beeb are starting to over praise it -- making up for lost time perhaps. i've missed a lot of this season and I some of the repetition is irritating (gareth's novelty toys, David's public speeches), but despite that, i still think it's the best comedy around. actually forget comedy - just say: entertaining tv. the non-comedy elements are every bit as affecting.

― Alan (Alan), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 09:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Stevo otm, last couple of episodes have been weak but last night's was one of the bleakest most unsettling things I think I've seen in in TV drama. Especially impressive the way they flirted with what the audience would want to happen and then refused to go with them.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:04 (twenty-three years ago)

How can it be a comedy when it's not actually funny?

(I think it's very good, but I haven't larfed once)

― Graham (graham), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:14 (twenty-three years ago)

i think its funny, therefore its a comedy

― blueski, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:18 (twenty-three years ago)

I thought it had jumped the shark with the motivational speach, but last night's was excellent, and yes, incredibly bleak, poor poor Tim.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:22 (twenty-three years ago)

i'm not satisfied with how it ended...too abrupt, nothing really resolved. annoyingly my dad rang me up so i missed the very last lines of dialogue after Brent begged to be kept on - can someone tell me what i missed? i suppose it ensures a third series but i'm not sure thats going to work as well - what no Christmas special tho?

― blueski, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:24 (twenty-three years ago)

i missed a lot of chunks from last nights episode, tried to watch it in a pub. Hopeless
At least alan partridge is coming back.

― Fuzzy (Fuzzy), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:41 (twenty-three years ago)

it ended like life blueski, like life

― bob zemko (bob), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:42 (twenty-three years ago)

Great as it is, new Partridge is going to blow it out of the damn water.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:47 (twenty-three years ago)

it ended with Dolly Parton's tits blueski, with Dolly Parton's tits.

― Steve.n., Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:52 (twenty-three years ago)

Apparently the next series is going to change its name to An Office.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:54 (twenty-three years ago)

This series has been short of new ideas, but the last episode was one of the most wonderful half hours of telly I've ever seen. YOU NEVER GET WHAT YOU WANT.

― Ally C (Ally C), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 13:24 (twenty-three years ago)

I wish I had watched it now. I was having a bath.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 13:30 (twenty-three years ago)

what happened after Brent said 'stop them' after wossername said 'the wheels are in motion'?????

― blueski, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 13:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Cookie is OTM. The last episode was ace. They should leave it there.

― the pinefox, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 14:20 (twenty-three years ago)

Hmmmm. I thought that Episodes 4 and 5 of this series were the best so far. Felt a bit cheated at the sudden ending last night, but you can't really blame them for stringing it out to a third series.

Showing Brent on the verge of tears was a spark of tragi-comedy genius. I despaired at Dawn though - as if she would turn Tim down.

Smelly Alan Fartridge replaces it next Monday though - and the trailers suggest that they haven't strayed too far from the last series either - hooray!

― Zanny Gognet (Zanny Gognet), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 15:48 (twenty-three years ago)

after brent said "stop them!" the camera freeze-framed and we didn't learn anything more.

and perhaps i wasn't watching properly, but - dawn did turn tim down, didn't she?

― Denise Lambert, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 15:55 (twenty-three years ago)

Tim put his mic back on and said "she said no, in case you're wondering" or something like that. I don't understand how Dawn could turn him down either, harbouring a sneaky crush for him as I do.

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 16:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Well she did say something to camera about it being more important to have someone who can pay the mortgage and having to be practical about things, etc. - which again I think worked because it derailed the ending the audience was expecting.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 16:05 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm still traumatised...

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 16:20 (twenty-three years ago)

I like this observation by Owen Erasmus on the uk.media.tv.misc newsgroup:

"One thing I liked about last nights episode was the use of the docusoap microphone in the Tim/Dawn scene, not only has Tim lost dawn, dumped his girlfriend, passed over a promotion for someone who will clearly make his life hell but he's done it all on TV. It played with the idea that the audience is sitting there willing him to make a move on Dawn and reminds the viewer that this is supposedly a docusoap and that a 'real' life is getting messed up for our vicarious pleasure. It's taking the supposedly sophisticated viewers of an ironic docusoap parody and making them react in the way docusoap viewers do, rubbing away the level of irony that makes one set of viewers feel superior."

― stevo (stevo), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 16:23 (twenty-three years ago)

If next year it returns as An Office, what's the reckoning that it's six episodes of Brent putting his foot in it at the Benefits Office?

― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 16:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, but the microphone thing being special was only because 90% of the time they forget the docusoapy thing (which bugs me).

― Graham (graham), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 16:38 (twenty-three years ago)

how did they forget it ?

― piscesboy, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 16:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Graham has a point not so much with them forgetting because of the filming, but in the forgetting in that the individuals would have a degree of control over what goes out. Which might not matter to Brent since he possibly doesn't notice some of the things he says - but I would imagine Tim would be acutely aware of it.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 17:07 (twenty-three years ago)

there was a point when David asked them all to piss off (or whatever) and when the 2 bosses had gone, the magazine writer said "oh, me too?" and left. but the docusoap crew of camera and sound stayed. hmm

― Alan (Alan), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 18:45 (twenty-three years ago)

For reasons that are about to become obvious, I've not read the last half of this thread, but I *am* about to make an impertinent request...

Can any of the London lot furnish me with a videotape of the last two episodes of this series? Before leaving for the US a fortnight ago, Pam & I managed to remember everything *except* allowing for the switch back to GMT when setting the VCR. Hence, I think we've got #4, but then two chunks of Buzzcocks and a bit of bloody Coupling. Oh, and any Look Around You if you've any spare.

New Partridge hasn't started yet, has it?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:18 (twenty-three years ago)

has there been a Look Around You thread?

― Alan (Alan), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:34 (twenty-three years ago)

(the bill had a brilliant docusoap ep abt four years ago)

(we are a "mob" michael not a "lot")

― mark s (mark s), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:38 (twenty-three years ago)

One on ILE after the first episode in C/D style and one on ILM linking to some mp3s on the bbc website, Alan, neither very popular. Am too lazy to find them right now, maybe in a bit if you haven't already.

If you revive the ILE one I'll wander over to update my "I don't know yet" to "mostly D, alas".

― Rebecca (reb), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:58 (twenty-three years ago)

haha mark s has turned into Paul Daniels.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 16:15 (twenty-three years ago)

what you mean he's a tory fuckwit?

― Denise Lambert, Wednesday, 6 November 2002 16:18 (twenty-three years ago)

No, he's married to Debbie McGhee.

― Ally C (Ally C), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 17:36 (twenty-three years ago)

one month passes...

The Office will be remembered in the same way as Fawlty Towers - great comedy if they stop it now
I hope Ricky moves on to even better things
VLS is a sad old git who had to resort to Jeremy Beadle type gate-crashing popular TV programmes, so his opinion counts for nothing
If you've worked in an office, The Office generally strikes a chord - especially Finchy

― Jim Lovie, Monday, 23 December 2002 23:13 (twenty-three years ago)

two months pass...

So I caught this on BBC America last night... am gonna have to say, on the basis of the first episode, that it's total classic. Can't wait for the rest of the first season to air.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 10 March 2003 16:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Sometimes I really love this show and sometimes I find it too excruciating to tolerate. I usually end up watching it in 10-minute segments on the Tivo because more is agony.

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 10 March 2003 16:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah the cringe factor is amazing... it's kind of like my job, only instead of just being awful it's awful AND funny.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 10 March 2003 16:49 (twenty-three years ago)

four weeks pass...

Best UK comedy ever. As good as the first/second series of Alan Partridge. Better, even.

― Cozen (Cozen), Monday, 7 April 2003 19:45 (twenty-three years ago)

Amen, Cozen. Where else can you recognise your boss is a pisshead, and not get fired?

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Monday, 7 April 2003 20:23 (twenty-three years ago)

still doesn't quite edge of league of gents for me but it's still uber-classic.

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 7 April 2003 22:16 (twenty-three years ago)

The Office. Joy Press on The Office, a while back in the Voice. I think she's wrong about some things ("Who has the right to bully who—that's The Office's running theme,") and stops where the answer should start in some instances ("Both see in each other the potential to escape" misses an obvious ending but).

But this is a really good article-overview of the Office. I have watched the full 1^st series twice during the holidays.

(More thoughts on Joy's article later.)

― Cozen (Cozen), Thursday, 10 April 2003 23:04 (twenty-three years ago)

When is the 2^nd series out on video?

― Cozen (Cozen), Thursday, 10 April 2003 23:07 (twenty-three years ago)

Would you look at that?

― Cozen (Cozen), Thursday, 10 April 2003 23:09 (twenty-three years ago)

six months pass...

I've just started to get into the show, with the new season starting up on BBC America. It is hard to watch, at times, but I think Gervais is pretty brilliant. My wife and I crack up out loud several times during every episode, which is a rare feat indeed.

Has anyone here bought the U.S. DVD of the first season?

― Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Tuesday, 21 October 2003 02:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I bought the DVD, but haven't gotten around to the extras yet. The excellent booklet comes with a slang/lingo glossary!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 21 October 2003 02:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Amusing trivia fact discovered in the new Suede bio -- at one point series creator/star Ricky Gervais comanaged the band in their pre-"Drowners" days!

Was tempted to pick up the UK DVDs on the somewhat cheap last week but my finances were stretched thin as it was, so no. I did get Brasseye, though, so I do not feel cheated -- especially since I finally saw The Day Today and was astounded.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 21 October 2003 02:26 (twenty-two years ago)

The US version is excellent and is $20.99 on Amazon.com.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 21 October 2003 02:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Spiffo.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 21 October 2003 02:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I think the office is totally classic, although I do watch it through my fingers as Ricky Gervais' character makes me cringe horribly. Absolute genius imo.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Tuesday, 21 October 2003 09:28 (twenty-two years ago)

i got the "Look Around You" DVD the other day. Classic spoof of the TV For Schools and Colleges programmes from the late 70s, and a snip as well for only £13 with loads of extras too!

― dog latin, Tuesday, 21 October 2003 10:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I got the US DVDs, the extras are kind of meager but pretty funny. I think about 10 minutes worth of cut scenes, and a 30-40 minute documentary with interviews of most main actors.

I think the show is pretty genius, but I'm almost glad there are only 6 episodes on the DVD. I think David Brent could easily pass from being obnoxious and funny to just being obnoxious with more exposure. I also think it's odd how with such a short run, there's still a pretty obvious arc in quality. The first episode is good, but they have to spend a while establishing characters. There's a peak with episodes 3 (the quiz match) and 4 (training day, my favorite), and then a slight decline.

― NA (Nick A.), Tuesday, 21 October 2003 11:10 (twenty-two years ago)

It didn't help that kate mentioned what an ass the main guy is supposedly in real life. It made me appreciate the show less! You can really tell though in the interview section on the extras that he is pretty annoying in person too.

Never-the-less, I thought there were lots of really great moments in the series.

― Sarah McLUsky (coco), Tuesday, 21 October 2003 15:26 (twenty-two years ago)

four weeks pass...

The excellent booklet comes with a slang/lingo glossary!

What does it say, Spencer?

I ordered the second series from UK. Enjoying it now.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 04:44 (twenty-two years ago)

It explains things like "Benny" which mean nothing to Americans. Also, "minge".

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 07:36 (twenty-two years ago)

what annoys me is how Avid Merrion and the guy from Dead Ringers (and i think Alistair McGowan as well possibly) started imitating Ricky Gervais's character in The Office as sketches for their shows - isn't this incredibly cheeky/lazy and a lame attempt to ride on the coat-tails of his popularity/success? or is it another example of 'bootleg culture' in the creative field?

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 10:46 (twenty-two years ago)

It explains things like "Benny" which mean nothing to Americans. Also, "minge".

SCAN IT!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 10:55 (twenty-two years ago)

isn't this incredibly cheeky/lazy and a lame attempt to ride on the coat-tails of his popularity/success?

it's also ironic, what with brent's harry enfield/john cleese impersonations.

― enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 10:57 (twenty-two years ago)

yeh but that was art imitating life, this is art imitating art imitating life

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 11:00 (twenty-two years ago)

i think i always thought brent's john cleese impressions were v.delib, audacious attempts to align 'the office' with The Great Britcom Tradition, obv slipped in after all the 1st-season coverage 'brent greatest comic monster since fawlty' etc. no?

― pete b. (pete b.), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 13:51 (twenty-two years ago)

It's art irritating life.

― Pete S, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)

pete otm -- it was a bit much.

― enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

why was dawn talking like that?

― cozen (Cozen), Friday, 26 December 2003 23:01 (twenty-two years ago)

i only got a couple of laughs out of it, i'm a bit sick of Brent i guess.

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 26 December 2003 23:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Talking like what?

I did like it, I must admit... not as smooth and well thought out as previous series, but one ought to cut it some slack; it is re-establishing things, with the problem of how to present DB outside of his old environs. Most of the exterior stuff with Brent out of the office was enjoyable and good at least, but it seemed over-egged at many points. Some nice melancholy, but maybe a little too much of the same sort of thing at times... even if this demonstrated the circular existence he seems now to be living.

I just tend to feel it would all have hit a little harder if DB had been a far more fleeting presence, essentially used as a contrast to what should have been the main business of showing the changed Office dynamic. It seemed as if Brent was too entirely central, and the others were involved more to set things up for the final episode. There were really good touches though... and should have been more of them, with Keith, Tim and Gareth. A shame that there wasn't a bit more from new characters in the setting, although that pregnant woman was suitably repugnant and induced some crushingly world-weary Buster Keaton expressions from Tim.

Overall; quite well done. Certainly no disaster and worthwhile... especially if things really do surprise and move in the last episode. I really cannot see how Tim and Dawn can ever resolve in any way... though things do seem to be coming to a head there. More of Gareth would be good...

― Tom May (Tom May), Saturday, 27 December 2003 02:03 (twenty-two years ago)

her voice ws all fuckt up, like as if she was talking 'properly' or something. almost, posh; almost 'jasper carrot's daughter'. you didn't notice?

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 27 December 2003 02:18 (twenty-two years ago)

no she sounded more or less the same to me

― stevem (blueski), Saturday, 27 December 2003 02:39 (twenty-two years ago)

:-o

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 27 December 2003 02:40 (twenty-two years ago)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaallll the things, that we've been throoooooough.
Well, i thought it was funny.

Dawn didn't sound any different to me, either.

― stephen. s (yaye), Saturday, 27 December 2003 02:44 (twenty-two years ago)

:-o

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 27 December 2003 02:45 (twenty-two years ago)

that was the best bit
cozen get over it

― pete s, Saturday, 27 December 2003 02:47 (twenty-two years ago)

haha continuity bugged me. i couldn't decide whether it was a. bad acting b. meant to represent amplified englishness in the face of la or c. maybe amplified englishness to help the baby glean a more english accent. (c. kinda went out the window when i found out it wasn't her baby.) she just didn't sound right, i'm not making this up; i hope someone else picked up on it.

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 27 December 2003 02:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah I noticed that too. Thought she'd struck gold in LA and was playing the rich english dame but seems not. Perhaps the reason why will be revealed in the finale.

― Affectian (Affectian), Saturday, 27 December 2003 04:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, but David Brent's pop promo, though?!

I thought it was great, probably the only way they could've taken the whole thing forward in all honesty... I like the idea of Brent trading off his non-existant celebrity now, the idea of being up there in a provincial club playing Blind Date with Bubble from BB2 and Howard from the Halifax seems so utterly depressing. The Office without Brent as central character = mentalism.

Any further down this path though and it will all go a bit I'm Alan Partridge though. Tonight's episode will be more old-skool, I suspect, especially if it all centres around the Christmas party.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Saturday, 27 December 2003 13:29 (twenty-two years ago)

it hasn't been a comedy since the beginning of the second series, i think. still brilliant though.

― cozen. (Cozen), Saturday, 27 December 2003 22:20 (twenty-two years ago)

was this a christmas special or the beginning of a third series?

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Saturday, 27 December 2003 22:37 (twenty-two years ago)

a two-part Xmas special, and they promise that's the last of it ever.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 27 December 2003 22:37 (twenty-two years ago)

brilliant!

― cozen. (Cozen), Saturday, 27 December 2003 22:44 (twenty-two years ago)

i was surprised how feelgood it ended up, pleasantly so - but i can see this being considered a 'cop out' by some

― stevem (blueski), Saturday, 27 December 2003 22:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I suppose so. But sometimes happy endings do happen, anyway.

― Matt (Matt), Saturday, 27 December 2003 22:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I hate to admit this, but my eyes got a bit watery. I knew she'd come back. I knew it :)

― C J (C J), Saturday, 27 December 2003 22:59 (twenty-two years ago)

yeh i was going to say i loved the cop-out ending - empathy! - it was quite surprising that brent was able to spend so much time with someone and not say something odious enough to deter - haha i cried when dawn opened her gift.

― cozen. (Cozen), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:00 (twenty-two years ago)

if dawn and tim didn't get together my faith in humanity or my belief in magic would have faltered.

― cozen. (Cozen), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:01 (twenty-two years ago)

my eyes got watery too :-)

― caitlin (caitlin), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Until she came back, I did not want her to. When she did, I realised I was lying to myself.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh everyone wanted them to get it together, surely? Any nay-sayers hate fun. And also Christmas. But mostly fun.

― Matt (Matt), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I do hate fun, yes, but I tht we'd established that yonks ago.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:15 (twenty-two years ago)

I was sitting here watching it with My Bloke, and he kept insisting she wouldn't come back because the Good Guys Never Win. I was forced to thwack him with a cushion.

― C J (C J), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:17 (twenty-two years ago)

through my tears, obv

― C J (C J), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:18 (twenty-two years ago)

but it did lose touch with reality (both of itself and ACTUAL REAL LIFE) in order to provide that feelgood factor...not just Tim and Dawn, but Brent's date for the night, him telling Chris to fuck off, people laughing at his Frank Spencer impressions...this was all very inconsistent with the history of the show, and real life, but it was enjoyable TV.

― stevem (blueski), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:19 (twenty-two years ago)

One slightly disturbing thing about the final episode: I'm convinced that Ron Dixon from Brookside was an extra in the office party scenes.

― caitlin (caitlin), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I enjoyed the cop-out ending (not so much tim and dawn getting together but a happy ending for david brent).

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:31 (twenty-two years ago)

but julio, tim and dawn getting it together!!

― cozen. (Cozen), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:34 (twenty-two years ago)

its not unbelievable cozen. she didn't want to lose her 'final' chance.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:38 (twenty-two years ago)

plus her bf was sleeping in the cab.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:38 (twenty-two years ago)

it was such a good kiss too.

― cozen. (Cozen), Saturday, 27 December 2003 23:41 (twenty-two years ago)

That was Shakespeare, though, wunnit? All comedies end with dancing and redemption.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 28 December 2003 00:38 (twenty-two years ago)

THAT WAS THE POINT! Durr.... actually, there was very little that was inconsistent with reality - they were laughing with Brent at the end of a drunken office party, obv. They will think him as much of a twat in the morning, but it's a morning we will never get to see.

Tim and Dawn made me happier than a TV programme has made me in many years. I thought Gareth was underused in the last couple though - they could've done so much more with the "I'm the boss, now" thing.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 28 December 2003 01:14 (twenty-two years ago)

tim and dawn made me happier than a TV programme has made me in many years too. will this be released in anyway, i'm sick that i didn't tape it.

― cozen. (Cozen), Sunday, 28 December 2003 01:16 (twenty-two years ago)

{delurk}The Dawn and Tim thing gave me happy tears. The scene in the taxi was beatiful.

Before it my head wanted everything to go wrong for them, but my heart wanted it all to be happy.

I'm glad my heart won.

― fractal (fractal), Sunday, 28 December 2003 01:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Matt, how/why was that the point? none of it really made any sense except it's Christmas and Gervais & Merchant probably thought it best to give it a happy ending - i don't really have a problem with this and i was actually relieved - maybe you saw this as inevitable but i didn't really think about how it would end - in a way tho it could be construed as damaging to the integrity and reputation the show had built on.

― stevem (blueski), Sunday, 28 December 2003 01:20 (twenty-two years ago)

it put the monsters (/the good guys' monstrosities) in starker relief bcs the goodness ws being perpetrated by them (/on them) rather than by outsiders (/ on outsiders). maybe.

― cozen. (Cozen), Sunday, 28 December 2003 01:24 (twenty-two years ago)

what?

― cozen. (Cozen), Sunday, 28 December 2003 01:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Steve - actually, it's weird - Tim and Dawn should've been marginal to the ending, it should've been all about Brent, but in some ways it just wasn't - they were at the centre of everything. David Brent and his blind date *did* seem like a contrived device, but at the same time, he dropped enough gaffes in their first conversation to make you thipnk that it won't end happily ever after for them. But by the end, you were'nt really thinking about Brent - what happens to him is secondary, he's shunted off centre-stage by then. In terms of "what happens to David Brent?", it's the closest you can get to a happy ending without REALLY being one. I'm sure she'd have realised what a tit he was in time... but once again it's all off-camera.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 28 December 2003 01:33 (twenty-two years ago)

But yes, I reiterated - THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH GARETH!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 28 December 2003 01:35 (twenty-two years ago)

yeh i like the way that the Tim/Dawn thing sort of took over - that wasn't what i was referring to as such tho. Brent's ending sort of came early when he said goodbye to Carol - there was such proud glee and naive hope at that moment as his facial expression showed, and the telling Chris to fuck off was the icing on that cake. but my point remains, tho it's no big deal, that this was all uncharacteristic (Carol even being matched with Brent in the first place etc.) but it was all interesting and entertaining nonetheless.

― stevem (blueski), Sunday, 28 December 2003 01:40 (twenty-two years ago)

the 'toys' thing was never explored further with Gareth, as in the time that anonymous woman called him at the office

― stevem (blueski), Sunday, 28 December 2003 01:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, and also, there's clearly no Slough Trading Estate on the map - I even phoned BT several times to check, just in case. I reckon it's more likely they were working in Egham or Chertsey or somewhere.

― stevem (Matt DC), Sunday, 28 December 2003 01:43 (twenty-two years ago)

what the fuck is your problem little man? i am going to rip your head off next time i see you

― The Iron Yuppie (blueski), Sunday, 28 December 2003 01:51 (twenty-two years ago)

in a steel cage match to the death

― Dr Hillbilly (blueski), Sunday, 28 December 2003 01:53 (twenty-two years ago)

http://web.archive.org/web/20011214125405/http://www.mykeweb.co.uk/3dmm/images/Grrrrrr.gif

― cozen. (Cozen), Sunday, 28 December 2003 02:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I think the writers somewhere cited The Apartment as an influence on The Office in general - in which case they wouldn't have been able to resist going for the Mr Baxter/Ms Kubelik-type resolution. Who could?

― Neil Willett (Neil Willett), Sunday, 28 December 2003 20:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Slough Trading Estate does exist, if not under that name, as my uncle works on the same estate as the building in the title sequence (the most horrible building around apparently). Sadly Chaser's definitely doesn't exist - some friends of friends went on an Office pilgrimage in search of it.

― Nick H (Nick H), Monday, 29 December 2003 00:03 (twenty-two years ago)

will they repeat this?

― cozen¡ (Cozen), Monday, 29 December 2003 00:06 (twenty-two years ago)

The whole thing about The Office from the off was always that it was closer to real life than anything else on television, except for DB (and to a lesser extent Gareth). It was, after all, a spoof docu-soap. Brent's protestations about being misrepresented (and being made to look like a prick) by the producers add to the overall perception of this in the viewer's mind, and the final scenes, when we get to see Brent in a positive light finally, with a sense of humanity and hope in his character rather than just comical exaggeration and bitterness, reinforce this to the point of pathos. Take the phonecall in his car from the prospective date - "you're not that awful manager bloke are you?" - he is a charicature not just to us (the external viewer) but to the other characters outside the actual office itself (the internal viewers, if you like). Nobody raised their hands when he asked if anyone wanted to go for a drink and my interpretation of this was not that it was because they disliked him, but rather that it was an accurate portrayal of office politics, i.e. not wanting to side against the 'new boss' (Neil).

I wasn't massively keen on teh first part, but I thought the second part was magnificent. I cried and I can't rememebr the last time a TV programme made me do that as well as laugh out-loud. Tim & Dawn was played beautifully, true Gareth was under-used, but I thought it ended on a definite, humanistic high.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Monday, 29 December 2003 00:42 (twenty-two years ago)

oh no!! now i know what happened :( :( :(

― maura (maura), Monday, 29 December 2003 02:00 (twenty-two years ago)

don't worry, i know it's my own fault. damn it

― maura (maura), Monday, 29 December 2003 02:02 (twenty-two years ago)

"Brent's protestations about being misrepresented (and being made to look like a prick) by the producers add to the overall perception of this in the viewer's mind, and the final scenes, when we get to see Brent in a positive light finally, with a sense of humanity and hope in his character rather than just comical exaggeration and bitterness"

So the turning point for Brent would be just as he looks into the camera after he says that awful thing to the woman he mistakes for his blind date, and his face slips? That is, for the first time he sees himself as the camera / viewer sees him?

In which case The Office is pro-docusoap - it's the docusoap team who arrange the possibilities for the provisional happy endings (Dawn's return to Slough, Brent's apprehension of - some of - his mistakes).

― Neil Willett (Neil Willett), Monday, 29 December 2003 08:24 (twenty-two years ago)

"Yeah, and also, there's clearly no Slough Trading Estate"

theres loads of signs around slough exactly like the one in the title sequence. theres also a really stupid bit where it keeps on switching the speed limit from 20 to 30 then back to 20. but thats not in the office.

― ambrose (ambrose), Monday, 29 December 2003 11:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I really didn't find the Christmas special that funny, although there were a few highlights. David Brent & his disappointment as his blind dates turned up, him telling chris finch to f@#k off & obviously Dawn & Tim getting together. Maybe I am just an old softie though!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 29 December 2003 11:59 (twenty-two years ago)

i missed the second part but YAY THERE IS A GOD it's repeated on bbc3 on sunday at 10 - both parts.

i quite enjoyed the first part but i was cooking at the time so missed a chunk of it. it was certainly better than everything else on telly that night.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 29 December 2003 12:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Christmas tv has been complete w@nk!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 29 December 2003 12:32 (twenty-two years ago)

only on channel 5

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 29 December 2003 12:38 (twenty-two years ago)

If THAT was the case young man, I would have no cause to complain!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 29 December 2003 12:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree completely, I have stayed in much more this Christmas than any other and I have been extremely disapointed with the lack of quality films. Too many 'top 100 blah blahs' as well, although Ch5's 'greatest magic tricks of all time' last night was okay. (ha ha xpost ken)

I actually sat and watched the whole of The Towering Inferno probably for the first time in my life, and Zulu.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Monday, 29 December 2003 12:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I watched the Wizard of Oz instead of Zulu. Then we had just got home & in time for towering inferno, yay!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 29 December 2003 12:42 (twenty-two years ago)

i missed both Creature Comforts and Belleville Rendezvous :(

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 29 December 2003 12:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I just saw these thanks to the brillian invention that is bittorrent and was pretty happy; I only just saw the final episodes of Season 2 last night, so the impact of these being "final" and taking place a year or two later was a little lost. The first episode dragged a bit, I did start to just feel tired of Brent, it was almost too much miserableness and lack of humor. The second episode was excellent though the show had obviously metamorphed into a totally different beast by the very end. Still, the final few minutes are quite glorious. I promised my wife that this would end happily and if it hadn't she would have clobbered me for making her sit though too much depressing misery, so for that I'm thankful. Hopefully they will never do another episode though.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 07:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I found it on slsk. It's excellent!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 2 January 2004 18:42 (twenty-two years ago)

two months pass...

I just discovered the show last night at a friend's house... quiz/30th birthday, company meeting, etc.

same time i discovered the dave chappelle show.

ow my head.

― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 14 March 2004 20:23 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.wave965.com/images/photos/garmac.jpg

*shudder*

― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 14 March 2004 20:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I keep thinking back to the "customer service training video" episode and laughing my fool head off. Especially with David's awful Britpop songs.

― Nate in ST.P (natedetritus), Sunday, 14 March 2004 20:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Britpop? They were highway blues/adult contemporary.

― pete s, Sunday, 14 March 2004 20:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, that's right. Whatever the case, they were better than Texas.

― Nate in ST.P (natedetritus), Sunday, 14 March 2004 20:54 (twenty-two years ago)

David is the sole reason this show makes me shake violently and uncontrollably.

― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 14 March 2004 21:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Hits too close to home?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 14 March 2004 21:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Thankfully, no. That will be another show I will invent.

But in any case, I'm know I'm surrounded by Davids everywhere, in every city. And I've interviewed for a few jobs where The Office must have existed in real life. And my previous job has that "open" office environment very reminiscent of The Office. In fact, watching this show made even the smell of my previous job come back.

― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 14 March 2004 22:01 (twenty-two years ago)

My show will invariantly look like this:

http://web.archive.org/web/20011214125405/http://www.mykeweb.co.uk/3dmm/images/Grrrrrr.gif

― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 14 March 2004 22:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Can I be a blocky guy drinking a 4-pixel cup of coffee in that corridor to the right?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 14 March 2004 22:04 (twenty-two years ago)

The above will be my character coming back from the cafeteria after having to suffer through another stale meal.

― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 14 March 2004 22:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Your character seems aggreived.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 14 March 2004 22:06 (twenty-two years ago)

My character wanted real food.

― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 14 March 2004 22:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Poor character.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 14 March 2004 22:09 (twenty-two years ago)

The corridors are an extremely accurate representation, may I note.

― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 14 March 2004 22:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Windowless, monochrome and designed to destroy your quailing soul?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 14 March 2004 22:12 (twenty-two years ago)

There are no quails in this show.

― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 14 March 2004 22:15 (twenty-two years ago)

have you guys seen that new burger king commercial that ripped the office off?

― Pablo Cruise (chaki), Sunday, 14 March 2004 22:15 (twenty-two years ago)

WTF?!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 14 March 2004 22:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Did anyone catch Ricky Gervais on "Alias" last night??! He was great! Playing a mercenary bomber-for-hire who is snagged by the CIA and essentially plays them like a violin. It was a fantastic episode, his character was almost the focal point of the show.

― Gear! (Gear!), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 05:46 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

"some crushingly world-weary Buster Keaton expressions from Tim."

these are classic

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 3 May 2004 16:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm still depressed from watching the last episode.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Monday, 3 May 2004 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

My sister is going to let me borrow her dvds -- I still have yet to see an episode of this show.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Monday, 3 May 2004 16:29 (twenty-two years ago)

The last episode is beautiful! Or did you mean the last episode of series two? Because you have to see the Christmas episodes from last year to finish the story properly.

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 3 May 2004 16:34 (twenty-two years ago)

This reminds me I need to get the DVDs! Soon, soon...but with the Samurai Jack DVDs out tomorrow, maybe not quite as soon as them.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 3 May 2004 16:35 (twenty-two years ago)

The xmas episodes aren't available in the US as of yet. So yeah, we've only seen as far as the incredibly depressing ending of series 2.

― NA (Nick A.), Monday, 3 May 2004 17:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I have these on VCD if you can view VCDs on your machine/computer (mpegs burned to CD).

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 3 May 2004 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks, Kyle. I don't know if we can or not. We have a powerbook with a cd drive and I know we can watch dvds on there...?

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Monday, 3 May 2004 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Sarah, I saw my first episode of the Office on DVD on a Powerbook (not mine), no reason you shouldn't be able to watch.

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Monday, 3 May 2004 17:57 (twenty-two years ago)

well, you can watch it on your computer, it would just require either quicktime or Windows Media Player or whatever your video player of choice is. DVD players are a mixed lot, most newer ones will play VCDs but not all of them will. Usually if it will play cds with MP3s on them, it will also do VCDs. Email me your address and I'll mail them to you if you like.

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 3 May 2004 18:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks, Kyle!

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Monday, 3 May 2004 18:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Like others, I really thought the second special was fantastic and made the first seem a lot more palatable too... the first special represented Brent at the very lowest ebb. The second followed the process of providing him with some redemption.

Matt DC completely on the ball by saying that it was still a beautifully ambiguous ending: one could take people's laughing at Brent's Frank Spencer impression as typical end-of-party high spirits... in the cold light of day, had Brent won any more respect from any of them? Though, of course he had his potential love interest - and note that it was a potential thing there. It was certainly a positive ending for Brent, but one can very easily read it as mutedly so.

Amateurist: Indeed, Tim was always the identification figure for me; like the sane man in an insane world. Keeping a stationary face amidst depressing goings-on and conversations in the Office.

The end of the second series was masterful too, with that part that's like a silent film, because Tim removes his microphone (the docu element of the show highlighted strongly) when he goes to express his feelings to Dawn. That whole bit was just unbearingly moving. Seeing Dawn hug him, in rather a consoling fashion from the camera shot outside the room looking in, and then... "She said no..." and just his reactions, trying to appear composed and get back to the crushing mundanity of 'the job'. It was fantastic TV, and I keenly await a British comedy that's as hard hitting as this was.

― Tom May (Tom May), Monday, 3 May 2004 21:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I think Gareth was more an identification figure for me, or the fat bloke. Or David Brent. There, I've said it.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Surely everyone is meant to identify with Keith?

― Jaunty Alan (Alan), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:16 (twenty-two years ago)

The American version looks like it's actually shaping up to be pretty good. Steve Carrell as Brent, and (apparently) some NY improv people in the supporting cast.

― C0L1N B3CK3TT (Colin Beckett), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Steve Carrell is good, but Steven Colbert would have been better.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Identity with Keith? :) Couldn't myself, as I am not a serial scotch-egg muncher... or anything of a tech-head, as he is.

Surely a US-'Office' will have at least to reshape the whole atmosphere and environment... New York is hardly Slough ;) Why didn't they consider setting it in one of the less romanticised areas of the USA?

― Tom May (Tom May), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't think it's set in NY.

― C0L1N B3CK3TT (Colin Beckett), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:14 (twenty-two years ago)

And apparently the characters are completely different. I think it's bascially just the same premise.

― C0L1N B3CK3TT (Colin Beckett), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

steve carrell is good if he can tone it down a little bit; colbert is too obviously fake.

was gervais going to have any input on the american version, as either a writer or producer?

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:17 (twenty-two years ago)

all I can hope for is that they don't have a laugh track. Hopefully Scrubs has taught NBC that it is possible to do a sitcom creatively.

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Based on the Onion interview with him, it doesn't sound like he has anything to do with it.

― NA (Nick A.), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Not sure if it'd really work to have Gervais or Merchant involved; what they really need is just some of the top American comedy writers - though I hasten to add, ones who can do very subtle comedy with a bit of darkness shot through it.

Does anyone know who is behind creative control of the project, or indeed, where exactly they are setting it... It would seem wise to me not to set it in Manhattan. Do any Americans have any suggestions as to what an American Slough equivalent town would be? i.e. sort of; a 'dump' of a place, with a large, slightly run-down business sector on the edges? :)

― Tom May (Tom May), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:23 (twenty-two years ago)

there are innumerable places like that all over california now that the economy has tanked. any industrial park in any suburb would do.

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Gary, Indiana.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Pretty much any US city has an industrial area that would be appropriate, where there are lots of factories and industrial offices, and not much else. It's usually out by the airport or in the suburbs. Really any suburban town would work.
xpost

― NA (Nick A.), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually I get the impression Gary's not "slightly" rundown.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Hartford

― C0L1N B3CK3TT (Colin Beckett), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Wait wait wait! Does this mean that you're seeing your own version of The Office in the US? Not the same as the UK one? I'm a bit confused now.

― C J (C J), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:43 (twenty-two years ago)

It means that they will be, unless God takes matters in hand personally.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:44 (twenty-two years ago)

the BBC Office ran on BBCAmerica and is on DVD, but network TV bought the rights to remake it as an american series, as networks often do (and so does English TV, which has some terrible UK version of That 70's Show I mistakenly saw once).

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I have been to Gary many times. It's more like a mini-Oakland!

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Akron, OH.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

"Come friendly bombs and fall on Akron or Gary!" just doesn't have the same ring though.

― Jocelyn (Jocelyn), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 18:17 (twenty-two years ago)

But this is classic...

EXCALIBUR, by David Brent

I froze your tears and made a dagger
And stabbed it in my cock
forever
It stays there like Excalibur
Are you my Arthur?
Say you are

Take this cool dark steeled blade
Steal it, sheath it
In your lake
I drown with you to be together
Must you breathe?
Cos I need Heaven

― Jocelyn (Jocelyn), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 18:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I prefer "Free Love on the Free Love Freeway," (where the lovin's free and the freeway's long.)

― NA (Nick A.), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)

akron is too small

toledo, oh

or maybe

buffalo, ny

or better yet, somewhere that survives on a prison, like

joliet, il

― amateur!st (amateurist), Wednesday, 5 May 2004 11:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Hi. Can anyone tell me what the song is that Gareth and David and one of the minor characters sing in the first episode of the second season? It's a popular instrumental, adult contemporary song from the sixties - ? - maybe even from a tv show, but I can't identify it by title or artist. Anyone know?

― d davies, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 01:36 (twenty-two years ago)

hmmm...let me go put on the DVD

― ipsofacto (ipsofacto), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 01:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Mah-Na-Mah-Na?

― Always Winter Never Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 01:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, that's it, though I fear not the proper title! Very first scene, second season, before the credits.

― d davies, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 01:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Yep, it's called Mah-Na-Mah-Na, and its from The Muppet Show. Link

― Always Winter Never Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 01:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh wow, I thought you were joking. Cool--thanks!

― d davies, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 01:50 (twenty-two years ago)

It's fun to do whenever someone says the word 'phenomenon.'

[b]Micallef:[/b] ...has become something of a phenomenon.
[b]Rest:[/b] Doo doo, d-doo-doo.
[b]Micallef:[/b] Phenomenon.
[b]Rest:[/b] Doo doo-doo doo.
[b]Micallef:[/b] Phenomenon.
[b]Rest:[/b] Doo doo, d-doo-doo, d-doo-doo, d-doo-doo, d-doo-doo-doo-doo-d-d-dooooo-doo.

― Always Winter Never Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 01:55 (twenty-two years ago)

And with the magic of doing the tags properly:

Micallef: ...has become something of a phenomenon.
Rest: Doo doo, d-doo-doo.
Micallef: Phenomenon.
Rest: Doo doo-doo doo.
Micallef: Phenomenon.
Rest: Doo doo, d-doo-doo, d-doo-doo, d-doo-doo, d-doo-doo-doo-doo-d-d-dooooo-doo.

― Always Winter Never Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 01:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Ooh, Giorgio Moroder does a version.

― d davies, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 02:01 (twenty-two years ago)

All about Mah Na Mah Na and Piero Umiliani

― tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 02:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Ah excellent, I suspected that song wasn't a Henson creation. Cheers.

― I Wish You Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 02:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, thanks all, this is great stuff. I've found six versions on s@~lseek.

― d davies, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 02:51 (twenty-two years ago)

so the third season is over in the uk already? wonder when it's coming to dvd in the states...

― amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 03:37 (twenty-two years ago)

There is no third season. I think they had a X-mas special and then ended, right?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 03:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Alex OTM.

I just saw the episode with the fire drill. Gareth and David B. carry the woman in the wheelchair partway down the stairs but then leave her on a landing because she's too heavy. She's stuck between floors in the stairwell and everyone leaves her alone.

― Skottie, Tuesday, 25 May 2004 05:14 (twenty-two years ago)

that scene made me wonder if it was right that she had been employed there - is it really common practice/correct procedure to take wheelchair-bound people down the stairs during a fire drill? obv they shouldn't use the lift so i am wondering if wbps are 'allowed' to work in high buildings at all now ? pardon my mentalism

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 09:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Here are some general fire safety rules I found on some community college's website when I googled wheelchair fire drill:

"Procedures for People in Wheelchairs and Other Disabled Persons

1. Individuals in wheelchairs and other disabled persons should observe the following procedures for evacuation:

a) All persons shall move toward the nearest marked exit. As a first choice, the wheelchair occupant or other disabled person may attempt to use the elevator.

b) As a second choice, when a wheelchair occupant reaches an obstruction, such as a stairway, he/she should request assistance from others in the area...

c) If choices a) and b) are not successful, the wheelchair occupant or other disabled person should stay in the exit corridor or on the landing in the smoke tower stairwell. He/she should continue to call for help until rescued. Persons who cannot speak loudly should carry a whistle or have some other means for attracting the attention of others."

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 18:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Ha ha. That'll show 'em for being handicapped.

― NA (Nick A.), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 18:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Are the xmas speshes going to make DVD?

[NB: there was no and will be no series three, but there were two long 2003 xmas eps, totalling abt 90min]

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 09:05 (twenty-two years ago)

that wheelchair thing is terrible, and proves to me the folly of employing people in them in a job that requires them to work high up in a tall building (i have never worked with someone wheelchair-bound myself), so i'm assuming Gervais and Merchant just threw the idea in for cheap laughs. we never really saw how high The Office was until the fire drill did we?

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 09:10 (twenty-two years ago)

I would never have guessed stevem would be so anti-disabled.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 09:26 (twenty-two years ago)

not at all. i would just shove them in the ground floor broom cupboard - hotdesking etc.

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 09:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I have heard that the wheelchair scene was based on an anecdote from "Office" producer Ash Atalla, who is in a wheelchair.

― Neb Reyob (Ben Boyer), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 16:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, and a CLASSIC of staggering proportions. Top 5 television shows ever, in my book.

― Neb Reyob (Ben Boyer), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 16:03 (twenty-two years ago)

NBC has decided to hold off on the US version until mid-season for some reason (waiting to see if their regular run of shitty sitcoms bomb as I'm sure they will)

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 16:08 (twenty-two years ago)

The NBC version is VERY bizarre.... not nearly as bad as you might expect (they use the same script, with some changes -- the Dawn character is called "Pam," so the line "Every bloke in here has woken up at the crack of Dawn" is changed to "every guy in here has sprayed on Pam at one time or another..."... that sort of thing).
It's definitely a "bizarro-world" Office.
NBC ordered 6 eps. of it to run mideseason... but I think it will be too weird for this audience.

― Tike Mee-Vee (Ben Boyer), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 16:15 (twenty-two years ago)

I spoke to the director of the American Office a few weeks ago (my roommate was working on a show with him). When he was really drunk, he admitted it was "terrible." My best friend from college was almost cast as Tim!

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 16:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Who? Anyone I know?

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 16:26 (twenty-two years ago)

The show is definitely not awful at all (this is coming from a MASSIVE fan of the original who thinks the notion of a remake is ridiculous). It's just weird, and OFF in a number of ways. But god knows there is much worse shit on the air.

The director of the pilot is a guy named Ken Kwapis, whose feature film credits include "Dunston Checks In" and "The Beautician and the Beast" with Fran Drescher. So he should know from terrible. (Granted, he also directed a couple "Freaks and Geeks" episodes). I wonder why he would be so down on it. I guess it's a thankless gig.

― Tike Mee-Vee (Ben Boyer), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 16:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Steve Eskay. I doubt if you knew him, Nick, but perhaps.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 16:48 (twenty-two years ago)

maybe he thought it was terrible because it didn't have a monkey in it?

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 16:49 (twenty-two years ago)

i have a friend who was almost cast as tim too! he would've been really good

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 17:07 (twenty-two years ago)

(if anyone's interested you can see what I thought of the US version on the "I am not an animal" thread)

― Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 27 May 2004 10:46 (twenty-two years ago)

three weeks pass...

sigh i just watched the last episode of this it was very sad :(

still havent seen the xmas episodes though

― Sir Chaki McBeer III (chaki), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 06:16 (twenty-one years ago)

You have to watch the xmas episodes, because then it's not sad anymore! I was depressed when done watching season two also.

― St. Nicholas Ridiculous (Nick A.), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 13:21 (twenty-one years ago)

three months pass...

I finally got to see the Xmas specials as they were showing them on my flight back from London. The last one made me cry harder than anything on TV (or anything in real life, now that I think of it) has in yonks. Wtf. Wtf.

Please tell me these are/will be available on US DVD soon.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 17:33 (twenty-one years ago)

The last one made me well up too.

― Wooden (Wooden), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 17:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I finally got around to watching the Office season 1 and 2 dvds, both were as good as I had hoped.

― Leon Czolgosz (Nicole), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 18:50 (twenty-one years ago)

one of the best shows i've ever seen. seriously.

― Smokin' funk by the boxes (kenan), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 19:15 (twenty-one years ago)

The more I watch the final two episodes the more I realise that the last ten minutes really aren't necessary at all. Too much of a Hollywood Ending.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 20:33 (twenty-one years ago)

The XMas ones or the regular ones?

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 20:35 (twenty-one years ago)

The Christmas ones. The "Brent was a nice guy all along" and Tim and Dawn getting together moments especially. I honestly can't see what they brought to the series rather than an acknowledgement that they were on a mainstream channel this time round.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 20:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Um, resolution? Not wanting to kill oneself?

― n/a (Nick A.), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 20:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't really think that's what happened re: Brent, it's more like he had one non-completely-shitty day in tandem with something great happening to a couple of other people. Things like that are more realistic than non-stop shit. Nice days happen.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 20:44 (twenty-one years ago)

i just finished watching season 1 last night & i am in love!

― kelsey (kelstarry), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 20:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Apparently the specials are being released November 16, 2004 in the states.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 20:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes!!!!

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 21:04 (twenty-one years ago)

i kinda of agree with Dom - at least my head does, but my heart loves how everything worked out.

― Freelance Hiveminder (blueski), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 08:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Exactly. As much as our brains tell us that resolutions for the better are unrealistic and that they bring nothing to the artistic melting pot, everyone likes a happy ending.

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 08:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm guessing Gervais and Merchant were kind of sick of the corny idea that comedy drama must have a bleak, uphappy ending to be credible and un-Hollywood.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 08:48 (twenty-one years ago)

so they did the even cornier idea that everything works out despite how unrealistic that actually is?

― Freelance Hiveminder (blueski), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 09:00 (twenty-one years ago)

As cheesy as it is, I did like the last scene where you see that if you take away the alluded editing of footage in the Office documentary universe, people actually got on allright together. Tim and Gareth weren't always getting at each other and people did find Brent funny after all.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 09:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Corny is all in the context.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 09:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Right, a fine unpasturised Brie, rather than tinned "Cheddar".

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 09:12 (twenty-one years ago)

people did find Brent funny after all

yeh but only by impersonating Frank Spencer! there's your lack of realism...

i was glad tho - Brent is an arse but you're supposed to root for him almost as much as Tim.

― Freelance Hiveminder (blueski), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 09:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Loved it

― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:08 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

I thought the specials were still really good (although obv they were totally unnecessary.) Still I admit that the closet romantic in me was happy that Tim & Dawn got together at the end (I got a little misty.) Also some really fantastic writing and acting as usual. This may be my favorite television show ever (it's definitely in the top ten.)

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 19 November 2004 17:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Will probably finally get the DVDs of this and Father Ted after Xmas. Long overdue!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 19 November 2004 17:48 (twenty-one years ago)

i wonder what you guys would make of Peep Show

― Freelance Hiveminder (blueski), Friday, 19 November 2004 17:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Alex - I had the same reaction to tim & dawn!
i love this show . . .

― kelsey (kelstarry), Friday, 19 November 2004 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

two months pass...

Who knew that Alex was a closet romantic?

Anwyay, I remember some uber-conservative talk radio DJ in the UK hating on The Office and saying "you have to go to university just to understand it". WTF?

― .ada.m. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:31 (twenty-one years ago)

The implication is that he didn't understand it, then.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:38 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm sorry Ned, I'll need to visit my library before I can even BEGIN to comprehend what you just wrote.

― .ada.m. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I am happy to help in your continuing education.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:40 (twenty-one years ago)

WHERE IS THE US VERSION???!!!!

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Hopefully shot and buried like the attempt to make a US-style Father Ted or AbFab.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

but steve carell!

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:44 (twenty-one years ago)

adam you should call him up on-air and holler 'fartypants!' at him

― Stevem On X (blueski), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I NEVER went to see a US version. Yanks should stick to what they do best - bombing people and making crunk music.

― .ada.m. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:48 (twenty-one years ago)

with steve carell in this it will be at least as funny as the four funny parts of Anchorman. I just want to see the attempt.

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:49 (twenty-one years ago)

anchorman hahaha

― .ada.m. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I am kind of curious, but I suspect it will be craptastic.

― Leon the Fatboy (Ex Leon), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Hopefully shot and buried like the attempt to make a US-style Father Ted or AbFab.

I'm still enjoying Hugh Laurie's American accent and Prince George mannerism in House.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:54 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/images/400/blackadder3_1.jpg
vs
http://images.usatoday.com/life/_photos/2004/09/03/newshows-tues-house.jpg

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 16:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Whoa, what happened there?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 17:00 (twenty-one years ago)

There is a crappy windows media copy of an episode at http://groovymother.com/mirror/The_Office_US_Remake.wmv

― svend (svend), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 17:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey, this isn't bad!

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 17:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Hm yeah, it's ok! Kind of unsettling watching it though because you have a deja vu feeling like 'hm, hasn't this already been done? but a BIT funnier?'

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 17:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I kinda like it!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 17:57 (twenty-one years ago)

"Who knew that Alex was a closet romantic?"

Haha I think everybody knew this.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 17:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Hopefully shot and buried like the attempt to make a US-style Father Ted or AbFab.

Seriously?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 18:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh fucking fuck -- 'Father Ted' to be AMERICANIZED

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 18:06 (twenty-one years ago)

damnit. is there another link to the us office?

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 18:09 (twenty-one years ago)

seven months pass...

Gosh, I finally got around to watching the first season of this (of course it only took me two sittings). By the fifth episode, the opening credit sequence was actually making me weep. This is the saddest comedy I've ever seen.

― Hurting (Hurting), Wednesday, 21 September 2005 02:35 (twenty years ago)

I'll be renting season 2 ASAP, of course.

― Hurting (Hurting), Wednesday, 21 September 2005 02:47 (twenty years ago)

WTF? No Christmas special on the DVD? How can I see it? Or should I not bother?

― Hurting (Hurting), Saturday, 1 October 2005 02:27 (twenty years ago)

It is on dvd.

― svend (svend), Saturday, 1 October 2005 04:02 (twenty years ago)

Weird. I rented season 2 - 6 episodes, no christmas special.

― Hurting (Hurting), Saturday, 1 October 2005 04:30 (twenty years ago)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002W4P8Y/qid=1128144691/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-9174466-8393731?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846

― svend (svend), Saturday, 1 October 2005 04:32 (twenty years ago)

I don't think I can explain why, but a good American remake of one of the greatest tv shows of all time is much more disturbing than a wretched American remake would be. Am I alone in this weird reaction?

― M. V. (M.V.), Saturday, 1 October 2005 04:44 (twenty years ago)

Whose version of Handbags & Gladrags is the theme song? To me it sounds almost like they took the Rod Stewart version and slowed it down a notch.

― Hurting (Hurting), Saturday, 1 October 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

chris farlowe, no?

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 1 October 2005 14:22 (twenty years ago)

http://homepage.mac.com/elliottday/theoffice/handbags_gladrags.html

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 1 October 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

The (two) christmas specials have a DVD to themselves. Definately watch them, they resolve many loose threads and will make you blub like a baby.

― chap who would dare to thwart the revolution (chap), Saturday, 1 October 2005 14:29 (twenty years ago)

xpost I don't get it - that page never actually says whose version they use in the opening credits.

― Hurting (Hurting), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:08 (twenty years ago)

It's the Stereophonics, I think.

― Don King of the Mountain (noodle vague), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:09 (twenty years ago)

the office's ratings have been in the crapper since it came back, since NBC hasn't bothered to show any commercials for it. I didn't even know it was back on. expect it to get cancelled any day now (word is Arrested Development is about to get axed as well)

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:18 (twenty years ago)

it's Shed Seven I think

― Roxymuzak, Mrs. Carbohydrate (roxymuzak), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:18 (twenty years ago)

It does say. It's some bloke called Big George.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:19 (twenty years ago)

It is the Stereophonics, and it does say so on that page, under the heading 'the Stereophonics'.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:50 (twenty years ago)

is this the new sarcasm?

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:54 (twenty years ago)

I thought they were meaning that they (the Stereophonics) had cashed in on the fact that the song was successful because of The Office.

That Big George dude's bit is slightly more convincing as a case that it was him (though that is one of the worst-worded websites ever), given that it has an MP3 of the clip and an interview with him which mentions that he does the theme music to The Office.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 1 October 2005 16:12 (twenty years ago)

the office's ratings have been in the crapper since it came back, since NBC hasn't bothered to show any commercials for it. I didn't even know it was back on. expect it to get cancelled any day now

Do wha? If I had an "O Joy" nickel for every time that I had seen a promo saying "It's The Office with 40-Year Old Virgin, Steve Carell!" while showing Carell's chesthair being waxed to form the letters THE OFFICE, I'd be doing okay financially for the third quarter.

Plus, the season premire of "Saturday Night Live" is tonight. Steve Carell will be hosting.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Saturday, 1 October 2005 16:24 (twenty years ago)

Well whoever does it, it pretty much rips off the Rod Stewart arrangement.

― Hurting (Hurting), Monday, 3 October 2005 03:12 (twenty years ago)

For USILXORS: Big George does loads of BBC theme music (Have I Got News For You being the famous one) and it's defo him who does The Office theme. I saw an interview with him about it where he said he wanted a 70s feel so used loads of bad compression on everything, hence everyone thinking its RS.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 3 October 2005 11:19 (twenty years ago)

just to confuse things further:

Can you please tell me the Artist and title of the opening song?
asked Ken of Melbourne, Australia

Ricky and Steve: It's called 'Handbags and Gladrags'. It was made famous by Rod Stewart, written by Mike D'Abo and recently covered by The Stereophonics. Our version is sung by a guy called Fin.

(from http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice/defguide/defguide13.shtml)

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 3 October 2005 11:40 (twenty years ago)

Mike D'Abo = Lead vocalist on Manfred Mann's "The Mighty Quinn"

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Monday, 3 October 2005 15:58 (twenty years ago)

he wanted a 70s feel so used loads of bad compression on everything

Bad compression? There's no such thing. This is the new music critique lately (see QOTSA reviews). I think critics need to stop learning about music performance and recording techniques. It somehow makes them think they know what they're talking about.

― Man From Brazil, Monday, 3 October 2005 16:07 (twenty years ago)

He went for the same drum sound as on the Rod Stewart recording too.

― Hurting (Hurting), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 03:04 (twenty years ago)

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